A Time Portal
by Elsa007
Summary: AU-Post Neverland but Pan never got into Henry's body and everyone is safe. During a picnic a ship emerges from an odd sort of portal-one that can transfer someone through time as well as space. Lieutenant Killian Jones and Captain Liam Jones appear and Emma must choose between the kind, polite Lieutenant and her dashing rogue pirate. Captain Swan & Lieutenant Swan
1. A Picnic to Remember

Author's Note-Enjoy and Review! (I do not own Once Upon a Time)

Emma's POV

We were picnicking along the shore. Granny had packed more food than this town could eat in a week and we were ready to relax. No threats, no drama, no magic. Just good, clean, child appropriate fun. Until the kids were put to bed. And then we planned on opening up the coolers and really start the celebrations. Hook was walking side by side with Leroy carrying an impressive number of picnic baskets which set his arm muscles up for the stares of half the women in town. He had a smile on his face and he looked happier than I'd seen him to date. I thought I knew why too. I had just cut Neal loose. I had told him to move on and that he was part of my family as Henry's father and as Henry's father only. Hook was sure I was about to pick him. The thing was though, I wanted more time. I wanted time to be Henry's mother, time to be a daughter, time to walk around town without having to look over my shoulder for someone trying to kill someone else, time to just be me before I decided I wanted a serious relationship. I had told all this and more to Hook and he had taken it extremely a well. He understood me and that was why I knew I had made the right choice letting Neal go. I knew deep down I would always choose Killian Jones over Neal Cassidy but for now, we were all content that I had simply chosen me.  
The Jolly Roger made a beautiful backdrop in the sunny, cloudless day and I watched my parents grin at the sight of all the children running around. They were trying, and as much as I thought it would bother me, it really didn't. I had parents who were going through the same things I was at the same time, who could understand my life as a beginning mom because they were just learning how to be parents too. No one else in the world had that and I wasn't about to complain because I didn't have the castle and princes growing up. Killian walked over and smirked down at me, raising one eyebrow.

"Mind if I join you princess?" He asked. I rolled my eyes in response.

"Not as long as you stop calling me that." He seemed to agree and sat beside me. We sat in silence for a while until I turned with an attempt to make small talk in my mouth. But it never left my body. Hook was staring into the water with an inquisitive look on his face.

"What on Earth is that?" he stood and I followed his gaze.

"Is that a portal?" I asked, staring at the shimmering ring around a tunnel of water.

"Sweet Ursula," I heard Hook breath beside me. "Hey! Everyone! Look!" Murmurs went around the crowd and parents began rushing their children away. You couldn't blame then when you considered the fact that the last few portals had opened to reveal the Queen of Hearts, Captain Hook and Peter Pan. In fact after a glance between us, Neal grabbed Henry and practically ran off in the direction of his father's shop. Mom and Dad stepped forward and Regina, Gold, Hook and I stood behind them, ready to attack if necessary. A ship emerged from the sea like a sort of monster arising from the depths.

"But that's," I began confused.

"The Jolly Roger." Hook finished for me. "But the Jolly's" he trailed off and it was my turn to finish his sentence.

"Tied to the docks right over there. She looks different."

"She looks like she used to, back when she had her rightful captain." Hook added gruffly. The Jolly sailed right up to our docks flying the white flag of peace and parked itself beside Hook's ship. Sure enough, the prominent, we'll kept lettering on her hull confirmed our suspicions. The Jolly Roger. Two men dropped down the sides and made their way over to our small greeting party. As the got closer I could hear Hook's sharp intake of breath.

"Good gods." He whispered as he exhaled. "Liam!" The two men froze where they stood as Hook took off running. That's when I realized. The smartly dressed officer on the right looked very familiar. It was Hook. Only he didn't have a hook, but two working hands and rather than his black leather and guy liner he sported a sharp white and gold uniform and a ponytail. A really weird looking ponytail. Which meant the man that Hook was now staring at desperately and face to face must be the Liam. His brother. We slowly followed Hook and began hearing their conversation.

"Killian?" Liam asked looking back and forth between the identical men. "The witch said this was a time portal but you look, well, different. And is that rum I smell? Bad form little brother."

"A lot has changed, Captain." Hook said nonchalantly gesturing with his metal appendage. "And I go by Captain Hook now."

"Captain?" The young Killian scoffed narrowing his eyes at his future. "Captain of what? You look ridiculous!"

"Captain of the Jolly Roger, and you should talk." I jumped in at Hook's defense. "That's what you used to look like? I might mock you now, pirate but good lord. It's worse than David's hero getup. I would stick with the leather if I were you." My comment earned a loud shout from David but despite his blank face I knew Hook was amused.

"Forgive me, my lady, I assure you no offense was meant. I simply wished to tell myself that he might look more put together on occasion." Lieutenant Jones said bowing. "Might I ask who you are so that I might give you a proper apology?" I stared at him dumbfounded as Hook glared holes into his face.

"Stop that. You sound like an idiot. Besides, she doesn't want a relationship now so your flirting will get you nowhere."

"Forgive me for interrupting but I must ask," Liam interjected. "Did she just call you 'pirate'?" Hook looked at Liam almost angrily.

"You have no idea the hell I've just been through, so don't even try to judge me, brother." Hook looked irked. "Come on mates, let's move this little gathering indoors, it's about to rain." Hook put an arm around my shoulders almost possessively but before I could protest I saw the look he flashed his past self and decided to leave it. I seemed to be the only one, however, because within seconds David slid himself between us and practically growled at Hook.

"I don't think so, mate."

"David," Snow warned quietly. I glanced apologetically at Hook as we made our way silently towards Granny's. This was going to be a weird day.


	2. How did we get here?

**A/N-Enjoy-review-no copyright infringement intended-anything you recognize is not mine.**

We stepped into Granny's and all speaking stopped. It was odd enough that their Prince was frog marching his slightly put out daughter into a booth as an equally angry Captain Hook walked beside them (okay that part might not have been so odd) but then throw in Hook's oddly pristine doppelgänger and an amused looking Evil Queen followed by an equally happy looking Snow White and a fuming Instrumentalist and there was bound to be a story. I was shoved into a booth and David slid into the seat beside me before someone else could claim that spot. Our entire party crowded into one booth and Hook nearly glowered at his past while still managing to look adoringly and happily at the brother he had seen die before him.

"Speak." He commanded.

"I find it difficult to believe that I become so hostile and uncivilized in my life and I apologize to each and every one of you for my bad form." He smiled at me and I weakly returned the grin, trying not to stare at the oddity.

"Shut it." Hook responded bitterly. "You have no idea the hell you are soon to endure. I used to be worse. Horrible even, for about 300 years but I have recently stumbled upon a reason to, ah, improve my form." I could feel Hook's eyes on me and I tried my best not to blush.

"Well, shall we get introductions out of the way?" Hook's brother began as lightly as possible, particularly given the situation. "I am Liam and this is my younger brother Killian."

"David," My father began, holding out his hand. "This is my wife, Snow and my daughter Emma," He gestured to us respectively and shook Liam's hand. "Of course you know Hook and this is Regina and this is Rumpelstiltskin."

"Hook?" Young Killian asked cautiously. Hook held up his appendage.

"Bit of a long story, mate, but I suppose that you sort of deserve it." he glanced at Gold almost sheepishly.

"Yes, you did although after I killed her it may have been a bit overdramatic to take your hand as well." Gold replied almost immediately. There was an awkward pause.

"Well that's about as close to an apology that these two will ever share, Miss Swan I am not sure how you did it but if that isn't magical I don't know what is." Regina added quietly.

"Me? What did I do?" I protested loudly.

"I don't know-but this didn't happen until you showed up."

"I seem to be hearing that phrase a lot lately." I muttered.

"Again, I apologize for the intrusion on this seemingly important conversation, but did you introduce Miss Emma as your daughter? Forgive me but you seem to be of a similar age." Liam interrupted.

"Hold on!" I interjected before my father could answer for us. "I'm getting really good at this." Everyone stopped and I could feel Mary Margaret's amusement as I began. "Are you ready? This can get a bit confusing. Okay. So-and Gold, stop me if I mix up this timeline seeing as you're the oldest one here-Rumpelstiltskin marries this gorgeous women named Milah and he has to go fight in the ogre wars and is excited at the chance to stop being known as the coward's son so he goes off to fight but he meets a seer while he is there and the seer tells him that his wife is pregnant but his actions on the battlefield will leave his child fatherless so he injures himself and returns home so that his son, Baelfire, will not have to grow up with the same awful fate _he _experienced, growing up without a father. But apparently that was this horrible thing for the Enchanted Forest back then so Milah resented him and worked at this bar all day to avoid being anywhere near him and one day she meets this dashing pirate who sweeps her off her feet and eventually she can't cope with her husband so she begs the pirate to take her away on one of her adventures and so she abandons her son and husband (Baelfire and Rumpelstiltskin) but Rumpelstiltskin doesn't want his son to grow up motherless so he goes to the ship to try to bring her home but Rumpelstiltskin and Captain Killian Jones of the Jolly Roger sword fight and Jones kicks his ass-no offense Gold-" I paused realizing that today Gold was the most powerful of us all.

"None taken, dearie,"

"Right, so Killian kicks Rumpelstiltskin's ass and he and Milah run off together as Rumpelstiltskin returns home to care for his son but then the ogres come back so they start recruiting children and Rumpelstiltskin doesn't want to lose Baelfire too so he calls upon the Dark One to help him but the Dark One tricks him and instead of letting Rumpelstiltskin control him he transfers his curse _onto_ Rumpelstiltskin who then becomes the Dark One, ends the ogre wars and saves his son but as the name implies, becomes extremely dark and twisted and eventually pushes his son away enough that a chain of events begins that puts Baelfire in England and keeps Rumpelstiltskin in the Enchanted Forest and Baelfire is super pissed at his dad so he continues to hide from Rumpelstiltskin for a few hundred years but before we get to that I should bring up our lovely pirate friend. So Killian Jones and Milah have been traveling and having all these lovely adventures and falling in love and they find themselves back in the enchanted forest and Killian and his friends are out drinking one night when they come across Rumpelstiltskin and he asks what happened to Milah and Killian, wanting to protect her, lies and says that she had died. Rumpelstiltskin is now pissed so he challenges Killian to a duel and because Killian is an idiot with a death wish he agrees,"

"Excuse me, love," Hook interrupts, good naturedly. "I believe you meant because Killian is a dashing man with good honor, he agrees to protect his love."

"No I meant because he is an idiot. Anyway Rumpelstiltskin is magical and all powerful so Killian is about to die when Milah jumps out and is all-don't kill him! - so he doesn't and they go back to the Jolly Roger where they make a deal for a magic bean that will make a portal so that Rumpelstiltskin can get to Baelfire but Rumpelstiltskin, being the evil maniac that he is, decides that he is more pissed about the situation than he has so far let on so he fights with Milah, verbally I mean, and then he ties Killian up to the mast and rips out Milah's heart and crushes it, killing her, but Killian still has the bean so Rumpelstiltskin cuts off his hand and takes it, thinking that his fist contained the bean but really Killian is cunning and that wasn't where the bean was at all and Killian has now sworn to avenge Milah's death so he goes off to Neverland where he can't age so that he can find the secret to killing the Dark One and stays there for 300 years or so. A bunch of time passes and then Regina falls in love with a stable boy but her heartless mother, Cora, and I do mean that literally-Cora ripped out her own heart to avoid her feelings-Cora magically spooks the young Princess Snow White's horse as Regina is out riding and Regina is a brilliant rider and a good person so she goes and saves Snow and Snow's father who is looking for a new wife decides to propose to Regina and Cora accepts for her but again, Regina is in love with Daniel the stable boy so they decide to run off together and Snow White finds out about it and agrees to keep their secret for the sake of true love. Cora then tricks Snow into telling her the truth and rips out Daniel's heart and kills him after which she tells Regina that Snow was the one who told her starting a lifelong vendetta against Snow White which causes Snow to run away and become a bandit when she was in her early 20s after her father dies and the queen hunts her down but she is super good at being a bandit and steals from the queen to survive. Meanwhile in this foreign kingdom, this shepherdess has twins and the King of _that _kingdom requires one of them as his wife cannot have children. So David's twin James is raised as a prince and David is raised as a shepherd but when James is killed the king needs David to take on a beast to save King Midas' kingdom so that King Midas will give him gold and David kills the beast and Midas' daughter and he are betrothed but then he meets Snow and they fall in love and a whole bunch of shit goes down but then end up getting married but Regina is PISSED about Snow being happy so she casts this curse sending everyone to a world without magic where no one has a happy ending except for her and no one remembers their past lives or each other but have all these fake memories instead but David and Snow were pregnant with yours truly, and they sent me away in a magical wardrobe because there was this prophesy that said that on my 28th birthday I would return and the final battle would begin and that happened and we broke the curse and the Hook showed up all gung ho and ready for his revenge but a bunch of stuff happened and they aren't so angry with each other all the time anymore because Gold has found his true love and his son and Killian went all soft and mellow thank God because I was getting really sick of throwing him in jail." I stopped and took a deep breath, looking around at everyone. "Did I miss anything?"

"You and my son met before you came here and he got you pregnant but you didn't think you could handle it so you gave him up for adoption and Regina adopted him, not knowing he was your son, and that's why you came here and that's why Regina stopped being evil." Gold added.

"The reason I'm 'all soft and mellow' is because I'm in love with you." Hook added, still glaring at his younger self who did seem to stop staring at me. I had thought that it was simply because I was the one talking but with Hook's angry expression I wasn't so sure anymore.

"I'm not really okay with Hook loving my daughter." David added tersely.

"But it's not really our choice, it's Emma's and we need to respect whatever she chooses," Snow said, kicking David under the table.

"You didn't mention me at all!" Ruby chimed in peering at Liam over the table. "Hi, I'm Ruby but you can call me red if you want sailor, who are you."

"Captain Liam Jones ma'am." He stuttered, unable to tear his eyes off Ruby's long exposed legs despite himself.

"Yeah, you didn't mention me at all!" Henry added, climbing over the booth and shoving himself between David and me. "Hi. I'm Henry. And that's my dad Neal." He gestured over the table at Neal who was standing awkwardly beside our group. "So that's our story, what about you?"

"Wait a minute, I think I understood all of that but I am confused on one point. I figured out where I pick up the Hook, but where was Liam in all that, and how did I become a pirate?"

"Your precious king lied to you and because of his treachery your brother died and because you knew the truth you were also condemned to death so you ran off and took what you needed, becoming a pirate." Hook's voice was riddled with anger. This was starting off to be a very interesting day.


	3. A Strange Sort of Friendship

I kissed Henry's forehead and dropped his duffle over his shoulder. Regina hugged him too and we tried to keep this moment as private as anyone could with a crowd of people watching. With all these people in town and no idea why the mysterious man would give them a time portal and send them here we decided it might be best if we got Henry out of town for a couple of days. Neal was taking him up to his apartment in New York. Henry was slightly bitter about this as he loved being involved in anything and everything magic related but he was also pretty excited about spending a couple days with his dad. "Have fun, okay?" I told him, giving his hand one last squeeze.

"Make good choices Henry!" Regina called out after him. We watched as Neal's car pulled away and I gave Regina a small smile.

"Make good choices?"

"You know what I meant." I grinned and looked up at my parents. And everyone else. I sighed. "Normally saying goodbye to Henry is the hard part." Regina muttered. "But figuring this out might be even worse."

"Do we believe their story?" I asked glancing at young Killian and his brother.

"That mysterious cloaked man gave them a time bean and told them to come find older Killian Jones to save someone?" She suggested. I nodded. "I think that much is true but I think they know more than they are saying. This mysterious man, whoever he is, is going through an awful lot of trouble to save someone, you'd think he'd at least tell the men who they needed to save." I narrowed my eyes.

"Who do you think it is?" Regina looked at me.

"Honestly?" She asked. I was confused.

"Of course."

"You."

"Me?! I'm the Savior, why do I need saving?"

"Beats me but the minute Hook called you Emma they both looked directly at you very oddly and they haven't taken their eyes off you since." I glanced at her sidelong. This was weird. This being perpetually on the same side thing. It was weird, but it also felt right. She looked back at me and I could tell she was thinking the same thing.

"So if they turn out to be imposters counting on killing us all," I began.

"I'll be on your side." She finished nodding.

"Two moms against the world." I said grinning.

"Two extremely powerful and _magical_ moms against the world. Who could stop us?" I outright laughed at that and we made our way back to the group. Mary Margaret took my arm and quietly whispered in my ear.

"You and Regina seem to be getting along." I nodded.

"We both just want what's best for Henry and right now we agree on what that is. That tends to foster an odd sort of friendship between the two of us." I glanced over at David. "What's going on with David and Hook, they seem to be thick as thieves right now." She followed my train of vision with her own eyes.

"Hmm. That's weird. A minute ago I was talking him out of sword fighting with the guy for your honor." I choked and sputtered.

"What? Why?" that had come out an awful lot louder than I had originally intended and the entire group looked over at us. I smiled weakly and after a minute they turned back to their own conversations. "Why?" I repeated much more quietly.

"While you and Regina were seeing Henry off Killian made a comment to us about how beautiful our daughter was and Hook seemed to get pretty jealous and insinuated that you and he were involved and that Killian needed to back off. Killian just looked amused which angered Hook even more and he made another comment about how he understood where Killian was coming from and that he really _was_ missing out on something incredible. Pair that with his lovely smirk and your father was ready to draw his blade."

"That sounds a lot more dramatic than I am sure it was." I returned rolling my eyes at Hook but secretly feeling rather pleased. This was going to be weird. I had begun to refer to Hook as Killian in my head but now, with pre-hook Killian Jones I would have to be extra careful not to say it out loud. I glanced back at my father and Hook, in the middle of a heated discussion until moments later they seemed to reach some sort of agreement before furtively looking around and leaving the group without a word. What the hell was going on there?

My eyes moved about the remaining assemblage of fairy tale characters and stopped to rest on Liam and Killian. They were both staring at me. When they saw that I returned their gaze they smiled and looked away pointedly but I noticed that Killian kept glancing back in my direction. Regina was right. They knew something about me that they weren't telling anyone. Well I hated surprises, if they knew something I was going to get it out of them. I walked over to the two of them.

"Hi, excuse me, can we talk for a minute?" They looked at me expectantly "Like, in private?"

"Of course!" Liam Jones replied with a debonair smile that looked oddly like a more polite version of Hook's classic smirk. "Where can we go to speak?"

"Um, why don't we just head back to your ship? We won't be bothered there." They nodded and I glanced over at Regina raising my eyebrows significantly. She seemed to understand what I was communicating and she smiled and nodded. I walked with the time travelers back to the marina passing many a Storybrooke citizen on the way. They stared as we walked past but I didn't as much as glance their way. We boarded the ship and I looked around warily. This may be the ship that would become the Jolly Roger but it was clear that it wasn't there quite yet. With 'Jewel of the Realm' painted on the ship's side and an obvious obsession with tidiness, it looked about as different from Hook's ship as it possibly could have.

"Welcome aboard the Jewel of the Realm your majesty." Liam said bowing deeply. I looked up startled.

"Oh, no. I'm not royalty or anything. You can call me Emma."

"Yes, but according to your story you are the daughter of Prince Charming and Princess Snow White. They are now the King and Queen of their realm. I believe that makes you a princess. It is correct to address you as such."

"Yeah, I guess," I tried to respond, my brow furrowing in confusion. "But seriously, just call me Emma."

"If you wish, Princess." Liam responded sounding so much like Hook I had to double take.

"Look, I'm just going to get down to it. I know you aren't being entirely truthful. You may not be lying but you know more than you are saying. This mysterious person went through an awful lot of trouble to save someone, I would assume that they at least told you _who_ you going to save." I repeated Regina's words. "And the two of you seem like smart people, I doubt you'd just listen to a random stranger in a cloak with no idea of who they were or why they were doing this." The two shared a furtive look and glanced back at me. I didn't need my superpower to figure out if they were telling the truth, they were the worst liars I had yet to come across. "Well that answers that, who was the guy, who are you supposed to be saving and what are you saving them from?"

"Princess, we are here to save you. But past that I'm afraid we can't tell you anything."

"Why not? What do I need saving from?"

"I'm sorry, we can't tell you Princess."

"Why not?" I insisted angrily.

"Because it will jeopardize everything we are here for." Killian insisted.

"How?"

"Because if you knew you'd resist everything and we couldn't save you! Okay! Just know that we are taking care of you! We are going to keep any harm from falling upon you. You have nothing to fear, Princess."

"Okay, great. But around here _I'm_ the savior. I don't need help from a bunch of time travelers." I turned to leave but Killian's voice stopped me.

"If that is your wish we certainly shan't do anything however we only were given one bean. We are stuck here whether or not you wish for our services and this is where we shall live."

**Thank's for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter-I am feverishly working on the next! Let me know what you think and stay tuned for more! **


	4. The New and Improved Killian Jones

"So it looks like they are staying in town for a while." I updated my family as soon as I stepped into Mary Margaret's apartment. I really needed to get in the habit of calling it _my_ apartment but I had never had much of a concrete place to live and I was still struggling with the idea of having a home. I glanced around. Regina looked out of place in Mary Margaret's home and David looked like the cat that ate the canary.

"What is it?" I asked him. "And where's Hook? I didn't see him down at the docks."

"Killian is changing." Regina said tersely.

"Since when are we calling him Killian? Especially now, that could get confusing. And changing what?"

"He's requested that we stop calling him Hook. I think he doesn't like how his brother glances as his hand, or rather his lack of a hand every time someone says it. And he would be changing his clothes." Mary Margaret clarified.

"He has more than one set of clothes?" It slipped out before I could sensor my words. "I just mean that he's always wearing pretty much the same thing, does it really matter? And if we call them both Killian how are we going to tell them apart?"

"Well we are just going to need to figure that out aren't we love?" Hook's voice cut into my question before the words had completely left my mouth. I spun around and upon taking in the tableau before me I had to desperately try to keep my mouth from falling open. He had raided David's closet and put together something David would never wear but in which he looked, well, incredible.

"Hook," I began.

"Killian, please." He corrected.

"Right, Killian, um, care to explain why the sudden aversion to leather?"

"I simply looked at my younger self and my brother and took in the effect of their period style clothing in comparison to the modernized looks of the citizens of Storybrooke and thought about how ridiculous they look. Then I thought about it and decided that you lot most likely think that my garb looks quite strange as well so I asked Dave here for a bit of help."

"Help that he will withdraw if you keep calling him Dave," David muttered under his breath. "Ow!" He added aloud as Mary Margaret kicked him under the table. I took Ho-Killian in and I was decidedly impressed. He wore a simple grey t-shirt but had spruced it up with a double breasted vest from one of David's suits. He paired all that with a pair of dark washed jeans and some fancy leather shoes I had never seen David wear before. He had left on some of his necklaces and while the overall look tipped towards the hipster end of things, he looked good. Like really good. All that leather really covered up an awful lot of muscle mass.

"See something you like Swan?" He asked. And he was back.

"Just taking in the new Killian." I said before turning around. "So as I said. They don't have another bean and they plan on staying here."

"For how long?" David asked.

"Um, indefinitely, I think."

"Indefinitely?" Ho-Killian asked borderline angrily.

"As in that pompous, arrogant and self-righteous ass will be staying here, _without an end_? As in possibly forever?"

"He does realize he's talking about himself right?" David muttered to Mary Margaret.

"Dave does realize that I'm going to keep calling him Dave if he keeps talking about me like I'm not here, here?" Killian muttered to me quite loudly. I stood up before they could continue their passive aggressive arguments any longer.

"Regina can I talk to you for a minute?" She stood with me and we stepped out into the hallway. "You were right. They know a hell of a lot more than they're telling us. I think we need to figure out who put them up to this. I mean for all we know this person has sent them here and is going to use them to hurt someone."

"I see your point. I can approach it magically if you can try to befriend them and get their trust. Did you get anything at all?"

"I mean there was," I paused. "No. No it's nothing."

"What? What's going on?"

"It's just something Killian said. It's kind of freaking me out." I turned to go back inside. Regina grabbed my arm.

"Oh no you don't. Not when this could have an effect on how long my son is away from me. What happened?" I sighed.

"Just, don't tell anyone. I'm getting really sick of Mary Margaret and David trying to parent me." She nodded and I internally thanked her for not pointing out that they were, in fact, my parents. "You were right. They think they're here to save me."

"And you're afraid of what could potentially be threatening you in the first place?"

"What? No. I just, I'm not used to people looking out for me. I look out for myself. I'm the Savior. Needing someone else to save me…" I trailed off and looked up at Regina awkwardly.

"I should really apologize to your parents." She said throwing me completely off guard.

"What?"

"If I hadn't cast that curse they wouldn't have sent you off and then their daughter wouldn't be so emotionally screwed up." I laughed and looked down at my feet.

"Yeah, well. Se la vie."

"Mhmm. Well my lips are sealed. We can just say we were discussing Henry." I nodded appreciatively.

"Thanks Regina. I really appreciate it." We returned to the apartment. "Okay. So we don't really know what's going on here so I think the key is going to be to keep living our lives as though nothing is out of the ordinary and let this play out. In the meantime we stay on our guard for any signs of danger and look out for one another."

"Exactly. And the sooner the threat gets here and we work it out the sooner Henry can come home so let's get going." Regina added.

"How long is this little united front thing going to last?" Killian asked smirking. "I mean it's adorable but I have a feeling that Evil may overcome and send us all back to square one."

"Shut up, _Hook._" I returned, stressing his moniker as I noticed the look of hurt on Regina's face.

"We are united by our son and that isn't going to change. Regina is on our side and until we figure out what possible threat these people pose she will be keeping near to help protect all of us."

"I thought they were here to protect someone, why are they suddenly the threat?" Killian asked raising one eyebrow.

"They might think that they are here for the good guys but that doesn't make it true. They could be controlled by someone more powerful than anyone here, like Aurora was by Cora in the Enchanted Forest. She may have thought she was helping but all of a sudden she turned on us and we were locked in Rumpelstiltskin's cell. They might think they're about to save me but in reality they could be about to kill us all."

"You?" Killian's voice cut in, breaking slightly on the end of the word. "They're here to save you?"

**Enjoy and REVIEW! PLEASE! Thanks for reading!**


	5. A Date?

"You?" Killian's voice cut in. Damn. I was so distracted by Killian's arm muscles that I hadn't remembered to feign a little ignorance. "They're here to save you?"

"Um…"

"Emma why wouldn't you tell us?" Mary Margaret asked sounding angrier than I had ever heard her. "What are they protecting you from? What is coming that is going to hurt you?"

"Look, I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry about something that might never actually happen. I can take care of myself."

"Clearly someone thinks you can't and has sent a couple out of time body guards." David added raising his eyebrows significantly.

"They aren't bodyguards. If they were they'd be here now. Do you see them anywhere?"

"Actually," Regina cut in, voice oozing with irony.

"You've got to be kidding me." I dead panned. She gestured silently out the window and I took a peak, groaning. "They're just standing out there. Staring. Cause that's not creepy at all." I made for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Killian asked, sounding more and more like the over protective version of David every day.

"To tell them to stop staring at my window, that's weird."

"I'm coming with you." He insisted.

"What? Why?"

"In case you're right and someone is controlling them to get to you. As you so eloquently put earlier, they might be trying to kill us all-in which case it would be safer to travel in pairs." Before I could argue he had swept me out of the room and we were walking briskly down the stairs. I tried to ignore the feeling of butterfly-lightness that emanated from the Killian-hand-shaped pressure on my lower back.

"Oi, mates!" he called out to his brother and younger counterpart the second we stepped out of the door. "I'm afraid your constant vigilance is unnerving the lady so if you would be so kind, we would appreciate…"

"Princess," Lieutenant Killian cut him off as though he hadn't heard a word the pirate had just said. "We apologize if we have startled you, we were simply looking out for your well-being. Perhaps you would be less unnerved if we were spending time together organically."

"What?" The pirate asked his younger self.

"I simply meant that I understand having two people watching you from outside your window or following you around might be nonplussing no matter their intentions, perhaps you would be less alarmed if we were to oversee your safety whilst in a more natural setting. For example we might take you out for dinner this evening. That way you would be kept within our sights and we would feel more comfortable, and you would feel less like we were spying and more like we were simply getting to know each other."

"Oh," Did he just ask me on a date?

"Did you just ask her on a date?" Killian echoed my thoughts. He sounded like he was about to slit someone's throat with his hook. Killian stepped forward, his silver appendage reached forward as if to prove my thoughts. I stepped between them and Killian ran into my back as he attempted to get to his fledgling.

"I mean we all have to eat at some point don't we? It would make more sense if we did it together. If you'd like Mary Margaret and I could whips something up for everyone tonight. You'd both be welcome to join us." The Lieutenant and his Captain bowed appreciatively and I tried excruciatingly hard to not pay attention to the fact that when Killian had run into me he hadn't stepped back. In fact the entire length of his body ran down the entire length of mine. My hands were shaking with excitement. I couldn't deny it anymore, at least not to myself. I was falling for this rouge pirate with his dashing looks and devilish smile. There was a spark and when I felt those piercing blue eyes look my way it was all I could do not to blush. Keeping all that in mind, I still found myself staring into the equally blue eyes of the Lieutenant and grinning back when he flashed that sweeter and almost shy smile. Only in Storybrooke would I find myself falling for two different men who happened to be the same guy. Did I just attract crazy?

"Shall we say about 7:30?" I asked. "Captain, Lieutenant, Killian?" They all rushed about to accept and I forced myself to step away from Captain Killian "Hook" Jones and turn back towards my apartment. "Then I will see you boys later." Later. When Both Killians, the late Liam Jones, the Evil Queen and my parents would all be in the same room. Oh and Mary Margaret would probably invite Belle and Gold. What could possibly go wrong with that crowd?

**Okay folks-sorry it's taken so long! With the end of the year coming up studying is upon me and I am having less time for writing! I will try to get another chapter done by the end of the week-I hope you are loving this story as much as I am! Also I do realize that the whole time travel thing has been cannonballed pretty hard by last night's episode but as this is an Alternate Universe I don't feel to terribly bad about this! Let me know what you think and review! Please! **


	6. The Same Heart-Fluttering Smile

**Hey lovely readers! I'm baaaaack:) So I found the cannonballing of that crazy time traveling episode and Emma-with-a-past-version-of-Hook (why does that sound familiar? Oh right. This entire story's premise) pretty blocking to my writing this. I kind of moved on and ignored this fic for a while and didn't really touch it. At all. Sorry. No really, I am so sorry. Sooo to make it up to you…IM FINISHING THIS FIC! **

Mary Margaret and I (okay mostly Mary Margaret) had been cooking all afternoon. She had planned an incredible smelling feast. Regina was bringing some pie for desert and sure enough Mary Margaret had invited Belle and in turn, her significant other. Belle was certain to bring some bread which I was very excited for. The French girl sure could cook. The apartment was looking gorgeous, Mary Margaret really knew how to throw a party. Now came the hard part. Deciding what to wear. I had done my hair and makeup and was now standing in my robe in front of my closet. What was this? Why was I so worried about my appearance? Was I trying to impress Killian? And if I was so worried about my appearance…which Killian was I so nervous for? Ugh. There was something between Killian and I. We had known each other for a long time now and we worked well together. He was honest with me, despite his history and I trusted him so much it scared me. But then this new, younger Killian looked at me with those too blue eyes and my heart hesitated beating. He'd smile shyly and for some reason I would blush. They were so different on the outside and they had such different pasts, but they had the same heart. They had the same soul. And I clearly had feelings for him. Them. Him. Ugh. Time Travel is the worst. I finally tore my favorite dress out of the closet and pulled it on. If I was going to be uncomfortable emotionally tonight I might as well be relaxed and cozy physically. It was the red dress I had worn the night I met Henry. The night I had caught that idiot playboy who ran out on bail and had gone home so alone. And then met the most important man in my life. I smiled and ran my fingers down the skirt. This dress was the dress I met my son in. Who gets to say that their son walked straight into their lives saying hello and dragging you along for the craziest ride you've ever been on? I made mistakes. But I ended up being pretty lucky. I called Henry who assured me that he and Neal had settled in nicely in New York and that he loved his dad's place. Neal hollered from the back that he was making pasta for dinner and I smiled when I heard Henry laugh at a joke Neal made.

"I'm glad you're having fun, kid. Nothing much happening here. Mary Margaret is having dinner tonight so we're all getting dressed up. I'll save some chocolate mousse for you, alright?"

"Great! Thanks Mom."

"You go help your dad. Tell him hi from me and tell him I will call tomorrow with a full update." We said goodbye and I walked down the stairs. People had arrived while I was talking to Henry and Mary Margaret would want my help getting drinks for everyone. Killian (the elder)'s deep voice was rumbling around in the kitchen, complete with, 'can I help, love?' and 'thank's for closet access, Dave, I'll get my own garb soon.'

"Don't call me Dave!" Regina was watching amused and nursing a rather full looking tumbler glass but neither Belle and Gold, nor Little Killian and Liam, had arrived yet.

"Sorry I took so long. I called Henry and I got distracted." I apologized to Mary Margaret who simply smiled and waved her hand brushing it off. Killian turned around, clearly with some snarky phrase on the tip of his tongue. Instead his face softened and a small smile appeared on his lips and in his eyes.

"Wow. Swan. You cut quite the figure."

"Thank you!" I smiled trying not to let his appearance affect me. He had changed again. But it was another winner. I didn't even know David owned a suit, let alone one like that. "I figured if I was going to be crazily anxious I might as well be comfortable."

"That's what you wear to be comfortable? It's a bandage dress, Swan." Regina cut in dryly. "It's gorgeous but there's no way that's the same as sweat pants and sneakers.

"I have good memories of this dress." I said defensively. "I met Henry in this dress." She smiled.

"You'll have to tell me that story sometime."

"Of course! I just spoke with Henry. Neal's making Spaghetti for dinner and he promises he has fruit and veggies out too. Henry is having a lot of fun. I guess they're going to the Statue of Liberty tomorrow."

"The Statue of What?" Killian asked, pursed lips.

"It's this giant green lady with a crown, a book and a flaming torch. She's kind of a landmark in New York."

"People go see a giant, green, flaming lady?" he asked, thoroughly confused. I nodded but before I could clarify further, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." I offered and walked over. Killian and Liam stood there smiling. But when he took sight of me, Killian's face softened. A small smile appeared on his lips. And in his eyes.

"Wow. Princess, you look absolutely lovely."

**Thank you for sticking with me dear readers! I will hurry to work on this piece! Please review and let me know what you think, what you want to happen, and who you are rooting for? Pirate Killian-or Good Guy Killian? Love you all~E**


	7. K-Squared

**A/N. So here it is. An extra long chapter to show you all how much I love you and to thank all of you for sticking with me after all this time. This one got away from where I thought it was going but I like where it went! Hope you do too! Review and let me know your thoughts! Very interesting to see what you all think about which guy she should choose! if you haven't commented on which Killian is right for her, please do!**

This wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

It was worse. It was A LOT worse. Gold was sitting around ribbing both versions of Killian, everyone was having trouble with two of the same people in the same room, (Pirate Killian was insistently answering anytime someone said Killian and Lieutenant Killian got angry every time his older-self gave an answer for him starting the weirdest arguments I had ever seen.) All the Jones boys were either marking some claim to me or hovering over me protectively and Regina was sitting there laughing the whole time. Not to mention my dad. In David's mind I now had 2 boyfriends and their handsome older brother was going to follow me everywhere (Liam had even attempted a follow me to the bathroom before he realized where I was going) protecting me which in David's mind was _his_ job. As a result he was now back to WAY over-protective daddy and he was glaring at nearly every man in the room. Belle and Mary Margaret were both trying to be helpful but there wasn't much they could do and their attempts to calm everyone down were only adding fuel to the fire.

"Enough!" I finally yelled. Everyone froze, staring at me. "Please. This is seriously way too much. First, we need to call you to something different because this Killian vs. Killian fight isn't working. Liam, you seem like a great guy. Really you do, but you need to stop hovering. I can take care of myself for the 2 minutes it takes me to go to the bathroom, so _please_ don't follow me there again. Dad, stop. Please just stop. I thought we finished this over-protective nonsense in Neverland. Gold, I swear to God if you keep taunting them I will actually slap you." He opened his mouth to protest but I cut him off before he could. "Yeah I know. You're the most powerful magician here but we recently discovered that my magic was connected to my emotions and I'm pretty pissed right now so do you really want to risk it?" Gold chuckled softly looking oddly pleased. Regina, too was smiling.

"Clearly." She commented.

"What?"

"Look down," She responded gesturing to my hands. I did and my eyes flew wide open. Two balls of white light were glowing brightly around each fist I had made.

"Oh. Right. And I turn off the glowing how?" I asked shakily.

"Just let it go." Gold suggested.

"The last time I just 'let them go' they went," I paused looking at him angrily. "Straight into that cliff side. I knocked over Regina's cabin."

"We fixed it." Gold said with a shrug.

"And how easy will it be to fix one the people here? It doesn't work that way with people Gold."

"So just pick one of the Killians. We've got a spare so you can channel your energy at them and if something bad happens-" I snarled before he could finish and stomped off towards the door.

"Magic is connected to emotions Gold," Regina hissed. "What part of that don't you understand?"

"I understand that perfectly." He replied.

"You're trying to make her angry." Regina's voice was quiet but I could still hear it. Hell I could hear her heart beating. Wait, I could hear everyone in the room's heart beating. And I could hear the traffic on the street, the lightbulb flickering in the lamppost downstairs. Okay, improved hearing, that was a new one. "You want to see how powerful she can be."

"No offense, dearie but she's already doing better that you were."

"Yeah, I know, but she's using light magic and I was working with dark. Of course she's doing better, it's easier to use light magic."

"I can hear you." I said. "So instead of arguing maybe help me?"

"You can hear us?" Regina whispered.

"Hear what?" my mom asked warily. "No one's speaking."

"Yes, Gold and Regina are whispering in the corner about which of us is more powerful."

"Oh my God. You can hear us." Gold whispered. He laughed. "Looks like she wins."

"What is going on?" David asked angrily. "No one was talking!"

"Regina and I were sending messages into each other's heads. We didn't want to alarm anyone at first so we kept it to ourselves." Gold answered. "How did you know Emma?"

"I was angry and I wanted to tune you out. So when you said 'if something bad happens' I stopped listening to you and I started listening to Regina instead."

"But I wasn't speaking out loud Emma. I was sending my words straight to Gold's head. And you listened in."

"Everything is so loud. I can hear everything. David you should really get your heart checked out. It has a funny beat compared to everyone else. And someone is speeding over by your house Regina." I winced. I was getting a headache. "Please. Just make it stop." I begged. Regina and Gold started arguing again.

"She needs to let it go."

"She took down half a cliff side. She could destroy this side of town!" Regina responded.

"Can't one of you two just take it from her?" Mary Margaret asked. Everyone had something to say on the matter. Tears were streaming down my face. I couldn't handle this much longer.

"Swan." Killian's voice whispered quietly from across the room. The only voice that wasn't yelling in my ear.

"We have an idea." It was the other Killian now. I had my eyes closed and I didn't know which of them was speaking but I knew there was something different about the voices. The feeling behind them perhaps. I nodded to let them know I was listening.

"Breath, love, it will be okay." That was my pirate for sure.

"Princess, neither of us know much about magic save for what we have seen. But we do know that you are good without a hesitation or doubt. So we know that you can do this."

"You are trying so hard to stop the magic but I think we have gone past the point of no return on that one, Swan. You will have to use the magic." My eyes flew open and I stared at them in shock. What?!

"Use it to do something good. Focus on your son, or something that makes you happy and make something wonderful with your magic." Oh my gosh. They weren't speaking. They were in my head.

"We figured it was worth a shot. If you could hear the crocodile and evil queen's thoughts, perhaps you could hear ours if we tried to reach out to you." I nodded.

"Come on Swan you can do this. Think of something good, something happy, and make something good and beautiful and happy."

"I can't do this alone." I said aloud. They nodded and both of them walked over to me. My pirate put his hand on my lower back sending both a thrill and a sense of calm through me. The Lieutenant put his hands on my shoulders. I would be lying if I said that he didn't give me a similar response to Killian Sr.'s touch. I closed my eyes and breathed.

Henry. Kissing Hook in Neverland. Holding Killian's hand. My parents saying they loved me. Regina laughing at one of my jokes. Ashley getting her child back. My son calling me Mom. Forgiving Neal. Holding Henry. Holding Killian. The hand on my back. The hands on my shoulders.

I felt a heat spreading through my body. My fingertips to my toes, ever single part of me felt warm and light and airy. I could feel the energy coursing through me and every loud, annoying, painful noise was getting fainter and then stopped suddenly. I lifted my hands and opened my eyes. Everyone was staring at me in shock. My whole body was glowing. I pointed to the window and shot the energy out of me.

**BOOM.**

The sky exploded. In a good way. Fireworks began blasting of high over the harbor. The two magnificent ships in the water were lit up against the night sky with the fire and light flashing across the sky in one of the most magnificent fireworks show I had ever seen. The colors were magical. Literally. Each color was not the normal shade of fire in a box, but were infused with an energy and light that regular fireworks couldn't quite manufacture. There were designs and shapes that were so complicated and intricate they made me gasp. Henry's face, letters stringing together to form words and phrases.

'I will always find you.' 'Mom.' 'I love you.' The Jolly Roger in fire sailed across the heavens, Regina's castle, and Granny's dinner, Henry, Henry and more Henry. His face was all over my happy moment and he appeared across the sky time and time again.

I was growing weaker. I could feel the energy leaving me. I knew I would faint. I looked up to see one last firework before I did and I blushed as a phrase scribbled itself across the sky. 'As you wish.'

**A/N: Please review lovelies!**


	8. Paradoxily

**A/N: Here you are lovelies! I hope you enjoy! Please Review! Let me know what you think!**

**So it's been a while since the beginning of this fic so here are some things you may have forgotten that are important to this story!  
-The only thing Lieutenant Killy and Liam said about how they knew to come here and how they know about Emma and co. Was that a man in a cloak came to them and told them they needed to save her. **

**-We are all confused and trying to figure out how this paradox is going to work out...let's find out!**

"Shhh! She's sleeping!"

"I'm not being that loud!"

"She's passed out, not taking a nap. We _want_ her to wake up."

"Right." The whispers grew louder and louder as my headache grew.

"What's going on?" I muttered.

"Emma! You're awake! Someone get David!"

"Mom, please, quieter."

"You alright, love?" That soft voice whispered pleasantly in my ear. I opened my eyes slowly, looking for the pirate. Except it wasn't the pirate. I jerked away.

"Killian. Right. Sorry, I just thought you were, someone else."

"And by someone else you meant you thought I was older?" The lieutenant asked with a sad smile.

"I was just surprised, that's all." There was an awkward pause in which I desperately tried not to look around for him.

"He's talking to Liam, Emma." Killian said.

"I wasn't-"

"Yes you were. It's okay Emma. You don't understand yet. But you will. And everything will be okay." Okay, what the hell did _that_ mean?

**Killian Jones the Elder**

"Liam. I can't tell you what it means that you're here."

"Do I die well?"

"Don't talk like that! It's all different now! I can warn you and you don't have to die!"

"And then you don't become a pirate and never live in Neverland and die long before meeting the incomparable Miss Swan." I faltered. Life without Emma? We were meant to be. "There's only one way this works." Liam continued.

"What do you mean?"

"Killian and I stay here. You will slowly fade as Killian continues his life and never returns to your time line."

"What?!"

"But I won't die and you will be with Emma."

"What are you talking about?" I snarled.

"I didn't come up with this plan."

"Then who did?!"

"The man in the cloak."

"You won't even tell us who that is!" I was furious. I would cease to exist. My life would take an entirely new path. But then would Milah still leave Gold? And if not would he ever become the dark one? And without the Dark One the Evil Queen never turns dark and there never is a curse and Emma never gets separated from her parents which means she also never meets Baelfire and Henry is never born and then this entire time line falls apart.

"How do you even know that will work? This whole time line could fall apart. None of these things will ever happen."

"The man in the cloak had seen a seer, brother." Liam assured me, alarmingly calm. "Milah leaves her husband with a different pirate and the boy's grandfather still becomes the Dark One. The entire thing still plays out."

"I won't exist!" I exclaimed. "I will fade away!"

"You will exist! You will simply live a different time line! And you will live with me!"

"I won't listen to this. We will find another way." I turned to storm out.

"Please, brother, help save my life." He pleaded.

"WE WILL FIND ANOTHER WAY!"

**REVIEW!**


	9. Obviously

**A/N: Thank you for waiting lovely readers! I know how hard it is to wait for updates! (Only one of my 69 followed stories has updated since October began...I may die soon.) But here it is and there should be more to follow!**

Weeks passed but they were all the same. I saw one of these men acting in one way and within 24 hours the other would do something so reminiscent my skin would crawl. I felt like I was cheating on one with the other. And that feeling made me want to vomit.

They each flirted, they each took ever more annoying care of me and they each sent dagger like glares at one another. I was in love with them both. But they were the same person! Only in Storybrooke did idiotic things like this happen. This wouldn't have happened to me in Boston!

I had to decide. But I also wanted to figure out what was happening. What were they protecting me from? Was something coming for us all? And who knew? Who sent them here in time? Who had a whole handful of magic beans, not just any magic beans…colored magic beans. Magic beans that gave you a portal through both time and space. They refused to tell me anything. But they knew. They knew who the man was, this much I was certain.

I missed my son. And I wanted this all to be over so that I could bring him home to me. To Regina. Even to Killian. The two of them got along well. Henry loved the ocean and loved Killian's ship.

Funny. How I trusted my son with the pirate, but I was afraid to leave him in the same state with the man who wouldn't touch liquor or mis-address a lady for fear of 'bad form'.

Maybe that was it. Maybe my subconscious had solved it for me. I didn't trust the young lieutenant no matter how much my father preferred him. ("But Emma, He is the same person but _without_ the dark side? How can you not choose him?") I trusted my pirate Killian. He knew what it was to submit to the darkness. He know what it was to have to fight tooth and nail to get to where he was today. He knew what it was to be lost and have to find yourself. He knew me. He knew my soul. He and I had a shared past. We understood each other. We trust each other. And I think I am falling in love with him.

How could I pick anyone else?

How could I not want him beside me?

My Pirate. I had to find him.

**A/N: I feel the need to warn you. We aren't done here. This isn't necessarily what the end will entail. There will be more factors and there will be more loops and turns and twists and betrayals and besides...you don't know who the cloaked stranger is! And believe me. It's good. You're gonna flip. It's gonna be great. Anyway...stick with me and don't think that a cookie cutter finale like this is the end. There's going to be a lot more drama first! Please review! Please please pretty please review! Love you!**

**-E**


	10. Unlikely Partners in Crime

**Here is a short update-I'll get more up soon! I hope you enjoy this!**

I was pulling on my jacket, staring out my window at Granny's when blonde hair and a red leather jacket tore up the street and ran into Granny's with a smile on her face. I grinned. My Swan. But there was a hole in the pit of my stomach every time I thought like that. I couldn't focus on my love life right now. I had to find a way of saving my brother that would still allow me to have Emma in my life without loosing everything I was. I didn't want to go back to that naive, good form, lieutenant. I had learned so much, done so many things and lived. I had lived more than that man could have imagined. And I didn't want to be him anymore. But I also didn't want to loose my brother. And I didn't want to loose Emma. The Man in the Cloak had seen a seer and he had known what each possible path would bring. Perhaps I could do the same thing! Perhaps I could find a seer and find the best path. And I knew just where to find a seer. I ran down the stairs and through the dinner.

"Killian!" Emma called out.

"Not now Swan! I have to do something." I ran past and down the street, Through the door and into the shop. There he was.

"Croccodile."

"Pirate."  
"I need your help." The Dark One scoffed at me.

"Not likely."

"I need you to see the future. All the possible futures." I explained to him what Liam had told me and my ideas about finding the best path-the path of least destruction as it were.

"Of course I'll help." He replied when I had finished. I blinked twice. I had been prepared for a fight.

"Sorry, what?"

"Take that look off your face-I'm being entirely selfish. What if one of those paths lead my life away from Belle? What if you do something and I never meet her? I'm not taking that chance pirate, just like you don't want to live without Miss Swan, I need Belle in my life." I held out my hand.

"So we are together on this?" He shook it.

"Partners in Crime, Mr. Jones."

**Please Review! Let me know what you think about This new partnership! And of course what Killian might have done had Emma been able to tell him whom she had chosen! What do you like-what do you hate-what should I change? Review! Let me know! I love Criticism!**

**PS-Andria: Thank you for all your reviews! I really appreciate the feedback! I am unable to Message you for some reason but I'd love to explain anything that is potentially confusing! PM me and we can chat about that!**

**If anyone has commentary or questions about my work please feel free to PM me!**


	11. He Decides

**A/N: Another shortie but there will be more soon! Hope you enjoy this! Please review!**

"Holy Hell." I muttered. The Crocodile sat back and sighed.

"There aren't a lot of good outcomes for villains like us, I suppose."

"I'm going to hurt her. Worse than Baelfire, worse than Walsh, worse than anybody. Whatever I do I will end up hurting her."

"There is just one option that ended with a happy, Ms. Swan." He agreed with a nod. "And that ends up with your demise." I nodded. Every path we tried, ever option we stared down, I did something that hurt Emma horribly. All except the one Liam had suggested. I had to let Emma choose The Lieutenant. I had to let her live a life, happy and free, never having known me as a pirate. I would fade away. She would forget me. But she would be with Killian. I would fade and my younger self would be with her sooner. He would love her. She would fall for him. Maybe they'd get married, have children. I shivered. I knew what I had to do. I had to leave. Let Emma choose him without feeling guilty over me. But where should I go? Maybe the cloaked man had told Liam how this should all work.

"I have to go." I finally said.

"Where? What will you do?"

"I have to find my brother. Find out what the cloaked man said again. I need to know how to make Emma choose him." He nodded.

"Good luck then." He held out his hand and I tentatively shook it.

"Well this is odd, Dark One."

"If you think about it dearie, you aren't exactly the one who stole my wife away anymore. Now it's going to be some other pirate so you I have no problem with."

"Hmm. Interesting."

"You aren't just giving up Emma," He said suddenly, realization dawning on his face. "You're giving up ever having met Milah." I nodded.

"I had thought about that. But I would give up everything to keep Emma happy. She deserves to be happy. She's had too much sorrow and hurt in her life. I refuse to bring about any more of it. She deserves everything life can offer. The best, the nicest, the purest, the hero." I sighed and hung my head thinking about the man who still embodied this. "She deserves him."


	12. My Own Wake

I shot down a swig of rum. Here I was at 2 in the afternoon getting drunk by myself. The end. I wanted to say goodbye to Emma. As soon as this was over she wouldn't remember me, not this me anyway, and I wanted…no. I needed to kiss her one last time. I needed to say goodbye to Liam, I needed to call Henry and say goodbye. He would understand. He only ever wanted what was best for Emma so this he would understand. I wished I could say goodbye to Baelfire because despite everything, he was still that little boy on the ship, he was still Milah's son. And he was still going to have his family torn apart by a pirate, have his father turn dark to save his life and go through hell to get back to this world. I wished I could say something. But he would suspect something and he would tell Emma and Emma would stop me from doing what had to be done. I couldn't risk that. I should say goodbye to Dave. He may hate me but sadly he was one of my best friends here. No one really trusted a pirate. Maybe Lieutenant Killian would have better luck making friends. I looked around at the empty tables. This was my wake. My goodbye to this town, the goodbye to my life. And I was utterly alone. What a perfect metaphor for my life.

I stood up shakily. No point in waiting. I had to see Liam and find out the particulars. I swayed out of the joint and found my brother sided up with Ruby.

"Well, well, well. I guess I'm not the only sailor who has a thing for younger women, eh brother?" I winked at Ruby. "Although if you have daddy-issues dear, you should remember that I'm a few hundred years older than _him." _She rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Deal with your drunk brother, Liam. I'll see you later?" She asked with a smile. He nodded, oozing the Jones charm.

"I count down the moments." Ruby blushed prettily and walked back towards the diner. "I take it there's a reason you've interrupted a moment between myself and that beauty."

"I went to see a seer. Emma has to pick him. I'm going to hurt her. Worse than anyone has ever hurt her and believe me, that's saying a _lot_. I can't do that to her. She deserves better than me. She deserves him. The good one. The kind one. The one who isn't broken and completely messed up. She deserves someone whole, and wonderful who will still love her more than anything else in the world. And I know that he will. Because we're soulmates, Emma and I. So it doesn't matter what version of me is with her. He could never help but love her. How do I do it? How do I fade out, or whatever."

"You go back." He said simply.

"What?"

"There is a field of giant beans here in town, but it's been watered with water from the wishing well. That water flows through the magic of the well and into the bean's roots. That makes them extra special. They have the magic of transport as well as of time. We shall go find them together and take a few handfuls."

"A few _handfuls_?" I sputtered.

"That won't even make a dent on these beans."

"According to whom? Have you seen these?!"

"No. That's just what the man in the cloak said." I sighed. We are putting a lot of faith into this man in a cloak. I mean, how did he find all of these things out."

"One thing at a time, brother. You are in bad form, completely drunk. I'm not sure how well you are currently processing information." I nodded and off we went, searching for beans based on some loose description of a meadow behind a cave this man in a cloak had described. I will say this, it sounded like the description of a man who wasn't paying attention when he learned of such a place. Well I didn't like this man. He sounded like an idiot.

**A/N: What do you think? Please please review! I hope you are all enjoying this fic!**


	13. Explanation

Disclaimer of sorts: I know I haven't updated in a few days and to be honest I probably won't be updating again soon. I have signed up for NaNoWriMo-I realize many of you don't know what that is, allow me to digress. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writers Month and I will be spending the next 25 Days or so attempting to write an entire novel. Yeah. That doesn't really give me a lot of time to write fanfiction:( so likely I will not be updating until December. I hope you all stay with me-I PROMISE I will be back! Thank you all for understanding and thank you so much for reading my work! Your support means so much to me!

XO

E


	14. Drunk Despair

**Super short chapter after a crazy long period of time. I know. I should be punished. I am so sorry it's been so long. I got distracted during NaNoWriMo and then I forgot that I had never finished this fic. I will get some more content up soon if people are still interested in this fic. Thanks for sticking with me. Please review! XOXO - E**

"I can't wait." I was still drunk. Very. Very drunk. "If I don't do this now I might lose faith and back out. I might be the selfish-ass we all know I am inside. We have to do this now."

"You're still completely-" Liam began cautiously.

"Yes. I am aware. Now Liam. Let's go find the damn beans." he considered for a moment and nodded.

"Whatever you want brother." I rolled my eyes, thinking to myself, _No. Nothing about this is what I want. In fact, it seems to be a lot more about what _you_ want. _"I'll go find Killian and-"

"No." The word slipped out before I'd thought about it. "No. Don't. Let's go just you and me." Despite everything that was going on this was my brother. Back from the dead. And though I was about to go cease to exist, I could have a few hours with my brother. Just me and him. Like it used to be. Like it would be again. As soon as I died. _No, Jones. Not now. Focus on the good._ Again Liam nodded, deferring to me and off we went. "Where did this mysterious man send us, again?"

"A field on the edge of town."

"Which edge of town?"

"He didn't say." I swore.

"Of course he didn't. Who is this man? He must be both blind and stupid to give such nonspecific instructions." Liam smiled and again, nodded.

"Perhaps."

"Do you have a plan to get there?" I asked. "I'm not particularly motivated given that doing so will mean my eventual death."

"The dwarves." He said simply.

"They go out to tend to the beans every day and they're all at Granny's as we speak. So we wait for them to finish their lunch and we follow them to the field. Then we sneak in and steal a few." Damn. That was half a formed plan.

"Fine." I climbed into I'd "borrowed" from Dave and we waited. Soon enough, the dwarves left and piled in LeRoy's truck, driving away. I followed them, not thinking about the directions we were headed in. Simply keeping the tailgate of that beaten up red truck in my view. Instead, my mind was filled with nothing but Emma. The first time we'd kissed. The flirtatious banter that suddenly went much further. The spark between our lips that was unlike anything I'd ever felt. The utter fulfilment of my very soul by nothing but her lips. My mind skipped over the part where she'd hid from her feelings and instead hid us. It was what she had needed. And I could give it to her. So I had. But again, I didn't want to think about it. So I just replayed the passion between us over and over in my head.

We came to a sudden halt and I looked around us. Indeed we were on the edge of town. Exactly where I didn't know. I don't think I had ever been in this exact place before.

"Are you ready?" Liam asked kindly. I shook my head.

"No." He looked at me, his blue eye mirroring mine. "Let's begin."

**Don't forget to review! XOXO - E**


	15. Heart Break

**Killian Jones – Pirate Edition**

I sat on my ship, a handful of oddly colored beans in my fist. The man in the cloak was right. Something about being grown, fed on water coming from Storybrooke's magic Well made them different. They would not only take me to a different realm, but to a different time. All I had to do was throw a damn bean into the ocean and concentrate on the story Liam had told me before he had given me a quick hug and seen me off with a handful of the crew that had accompanied them. I hadn't bothered saying goodbye to younger me. What was the point of that? And the reason I was doing this was to protect Emma. The Crocodile had told me I would hurt her deeply. I couldn't risk a chance that I would do this on accident while I said goodbye. And everyone else, well, they wouldn't remember me soon anyway. So what was the point? The Dark One said I would fade as soon as it worked. I would be able to tell. That it may take a few days, but that I would notice. Until then, I could enjoy whatever small comforts a man about to cease to exist might wish for. I had plenty of gold on my ship. More than enough to buy whatever I needed. Liam had handed me a letter, told me not to read it until I reached the other realm. All that was left was for me to throw the bean. For me to sail into the wind and rain, for me to sail purposely into my oblivion. Easier said than done.

"Captain!" One of my new crew called out. We are moving at a good pace for this. We should do it now." I nodded, still doing nothing. "Captain?"

"A moment sir. You forget, you sail back to your family, I to my extinction. A moment."

"Why do it, Captain? Forgive my impertinence, but if you are to die as a result of this trip, why do it?" I didn't correct his misunderstanding of the difference between death and fading away. After all, it wasn't something I understood.

"Because if I don't my soul mate will be hurt. If I stay I will destroy her, quite accidentally." I closed my eyes, holding Emma's image in my mind's eye. "I am doing this to save my love. I am doing this for Emma." And with that thought firmly ingrained in my head, I threw the bean and took hold of the wheel. "Gents, hold on tight. We're going back."

**Liam Jones – Cryptic (not) dead Brother**

I watched as my brother sailed away. Further and further. I felt a sad sort of longing. I had died. And left my brother to grieve. And his life had turned into an unorganized mess or torture and horrible events that twisted and tormented him into a far cry from the boy he used to be. But then he had met her. And he had grown. And he had become a man I didn't recognize and yet a man that I was proud of. A man that I could call my brother. A man that I saw such great wonder in. But as much as it broke my heart, I knew this was fate, destiny. I knew that this had to happen. I knew that he had to go back.

"Liam!" There she was. Ruby. Red. The beautiful creature whom I hoped to one day call mine. She ran towards me and despite my melancholy I couldn't help but smile when I heard her voice. "Have you seen Killian? Emma was looking for him."

"He's at Granny's." I said, my brow furrowed, she must have come straight from there, how had she missed him.

"No, not weird-pony tail Killian. Pirate Killian. _Captain_ Kilian Jones." My jaw clenched.

"Why does she need him?"

"Because she's in love with him. And she needs to talk to him. You were with him last, where did he go?" Emma got out of the car and slowly made her way towards me, her face heavy with something I couldn't quite name.

"Why is his ship leaving port, Liam?" Red turned to the sea where Killian's ship was still sailing on the horizon. I didn't know why he hadn't used the bean yet but I wished he would.

"Where the hell is he going?" she exclaimed almost angrily.

"He's protecting you Emma, he knows what is best for you and he is making it easier for you. He didn't want you to feel guilty for making the choice. He didn't want you to have it any harder. Besides, your town's Seer told him that he would cause you great pain and he couldn't stand it. So he has left. To save you, Emma." She didn't respond, instead, she fell to her knees and stared off at the Jolly Roger.

"Liam, you're kidding, right? He's going to come back! He has to! Regina thinks she can maintain a paradox using a gem similar to the one she used to manage the magic shift here to Storybrooke! She thinks that you and your brother can stay _and_ Emma can stay with Killian!" Before I could speak a flash of white splashed across the horizon and the ship had suddenly disappeared. A noise unlike any I had ever heard came forth from Princess Emma's lips. She was sobbing. And a magical glow was throbbing around her. Before I could wonder about that, Red gripped my arm and pulled me away practically running as the magic coursing through Emma grew and grew.

"What's happening?" I asked frantically.

"You and your idiot brothers or brother or whatever I'm supposed to call you weirdos just broke the heart of one of the most powerful magical beings ever." We dove to the ground the moment the energy burst forth from Emma rushing around her. "You fucking idiots." Red practically hissed. "Fucking. Idiots."

**Author's Note: What did you think? I am trying to improve my writing so al criticism is greatly appreciated! XOXO-E**


	16. Falling

**Emma – On the Edge**

He left me. Got on his stupid ship, and left me. Not just left me, gave up on life. Allowing that annoying lieutenant to stay, to start a new life, to _live_ he was giving up his own life. He would die. Or cease to exist or whatever. Damn him. Damn him to hell and back for this. I loved him. I love him. What did he do?

My breathing finally settled, the sporadic, frantic breaths that had been hyperventilating through me calmed and I could almost breathe again. I glanced around me and flinched. I had never been particularly good at controlling my magic. This was no exception. It looked like a tornado had torn around me. Ruby and Liam pocked their heads up from where they lay in a ditch just off shore.

"Emma?" her voice was small but full of compassion. "Are you okay?" I floated towards her. Literally. Halfway there I looked down and realized my feet weren't moving, I was literally, floating. _Well that's new._

"He's gone, Ruby. He left."

"Oh, Emma."

"He's going to die. I'm going to forget all about him."

"Maybe that's best, Em. Then you can find your happiness with Killian." I flinched at the name.

"I don't want to. Ruby he looks the same but it isn't him." Liam smiled at me kindly. I wanted to slap him.

"I think you'll find he is, Princess."

"No." I snapped angrily, feeling a small breeze start to swirl around me angrily. "No, he isn't. He is kind and good and so many girls would hack off their arms for a chance with him, but he isn't my pirate. He hasn't suffered loss so severe it changes his very soul. He hasn't wallowed in his darkest place and faced down the demons of hell. He isn't Killian, not _my_ Killian anyway."

"He isn't as broken, that's the problems you have with him?" Liam asked, his eyes filled with confusion. "He's too perfect?"

"Lieutenant Jones is perfect. But Captain Jones, he's perfect for me." I tried to explain, feeling very much like none of my words made sense to the man before me. "I've lost so much and I've faced my own demons, my own darkness. I couldn't be with someone as sweet and innocent as Jones. I need a pirate, someone who not only understands my darkness but whose demons play well with mine." I shrugged. "Besides. They aren't the same man. And I love Killian. I don't love your baby brother. I'm sorry Liam. But I have to fix this. I have to get him back."

**Mr. Gold – Guilty or Dark?**

He'd done it then. I watched from afar as his ship disappeared into the horizon. He was gone. I breathed a sigh of relief and felt a twinge of guilt ripple through me. No. This was what had to happen. This is what had to be. I had looked into the future and I had _lied_ to him. But it was necessary. If it happened any other way Belle would have been caught in the cross hairs. I couldn't let his actions lead to hurt on her part. This was going to kill Emma, I'd seen that too. Whatever seer this 'man in the cloak' had gone to see had said that the Pirate would hurt her beyond anything anyone else had ever done and what I had seen reinforced that. Sort of. He only hurt her like that if he left. Him leaving her, disappearing from her life, her losing him, it may just destroy her.

So yes, the pirate had hurt her more than anyone else. By leaving. Because I told him too. Damn. There was that guilt again! Where had it come from? I was the Dark One for goodness sake, I didn't do "guilt".

All of a sudden a flash of white light came ricocheting down the street, magic. A brand more powerful than anything I'd ever seen. When it washed over me I felt pain as I'd never felt it before. I instantly began to sob and as the rush of emotion that filled me grew stronger and stronger, filling me with terror and abject sadness. I had never felt misery of this sort. It broke my heart and I crumbled to the ground below me. What curse was this? Some sort of suffering thing? I curled up in a ball and cried.

Belle found me an hour later, hunched over, soaking in my own misery. She seemed unaffected by the curse and I took what little comfort I could from that. "Rumple! Rumple what's wrong? What happened?" I shook my head. How could I explain something I didn't understand? She called to the dwarves who reluctantly helped me into a car and the annoying one drove me to the hospital.

"Mary Margaret! Help! It's gotten Rumple too!" Belle called out, gripping my hand tightly.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Regina called out angrily. "I thought this was him." I shook my head, unable to stop the tears and too desolate to care that these idiots were all watching me cry.

"It came from the beach." I managed to sob out. "White magic. Emma."

"Our daughter wouldn't do this!" Snow White frowned angrily. "David is sobbing uncontrollably too." Her father. Hmm. That was interesting. What was this curse exactly?

"Besides," Regina continued snidely. "Where would she have gotten this curse? We haven't exactly been teaching her about dark magic."

"It was white." I insisted angry now that no one would listen. "And maybe, just maybe, she's strong enough to come up with her own curses. Unlike some people here she may not need the help of a greater enchanter."

"Oh shut up."

"Regina, I have to find my daughter." Snow called out as she gripped her purse tightly and made for the door. "Watch out for everyone."

"Who has all been affected by this curse?" I managed to ask between deep shuddering breathes that didn't seem to help the tightness in my chest.

"You, two dwarves, the blue fairy, David, and Killian. The young one." Hmm. That's an odd grouping. "Maybe we should find the pirate. If he's affected or not could tell us something about the meaning and intention of this magic." She suggested.

"That'll be a trick." I smirked, beginning to feel better. Aha. That was something. I could push the pain aside by latching on to anger.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well he's gone back to the Enchanted Forest. More specifically, he's gone back in time _and_ into the Enchanted Forest."

"He's done _what_?!" Regina was growling now

"He's decided to make things easier for Emma. Doesn't want her to feel guilty over having to choose. He also said something about her deserving better than him."

"You knew about this and you didn't tell me?" Damn. That was Belle's soft voice, pulling me away from the darkness I was clinging too and back towards the side of me filled with pain.

"It was the right thing to do. It was his choice."

"No you fool! Emma was going to choose him! She was just busy cooking up a way to control the paradox so that Liam and ponytail Jones didn't have to die and _he_ wouldn't feel guilty!" Regina spat out. I flinched. I knew that. I had seen that. But I hadn't told him that.

**Captain Killian Jones – Heartbroken Pirate**

I was back. Not just back in the Enchanted Forest. I was back in time. A long time ago. Back before Emma was even born. Hell, back before her _parents_ were born. This was, if nothing else, a world without my Savior. And yet she was everywhere around me. My heart was filled with her. Everything I did, I did for her. She was in every thought, every breath, every beat of my miserable broken heart. _If it's broken, that means it still works. If it's broken, it can be fixed._ The old saying crept into my head before I could stop it. Yes. It could be fixed. But I wouldn't allow it to be. If it were fixed, Emma's would break. I would suffer, I would _die_, so that she didn't have to.

And if I had to do it all again, I would make the same choices a hundred times.

And a hundred times more.

"Mr. Eaton!" I called out to the first mate my brother had sent along.

"Yes sir!"

"Where, or rather _when_ have we landed?"

"About 5 days before they leave sir." He reported with a smile.

"We will need to find somewhere to hide out while we wait for them to go. It won't do to have duplicates running about. They'll be madness in the streets."

"Yes sir. The ship may look the same but it's got a different name and a different figurehead. We could simply stay aboard the ship, sir." I nodded but with unease. It was a good plan but there was something I needed to do before they disappeared.

I needed to find the man in the cloak.

I needed to find the man who destroyed my life.

I knew when he'd show up. I knew what to look for. I just had to sneak off the ship and hide my face as I boarded my brother's vessel. It truly _wouldn't_ do to have me appear before my brother and my younger, more annoying self, dressed up as a pirate. They'd have a damn heart attack. I'd have to disguise myself. That couldn't be too hard. What kind of costumes could I come up with on this ship?

**Hello lovely readers! Sorry it has been so long with the update but I'm working on a few fics at the moment and this one just isn't getting the kind of feedback the others are. I am really enjoying writing it and I hope some of you are enjoying reading it! Thank you so much for taking the time to support me! Please, please leave a review with what you think about this update! Any guesses as to what this curse is? Previews to anyone who can figure it out! **

**I hope to update soon!**

**XOXO - E**


	17. Nobody's Fault

**Emma**

Anger, pain and sadness was coursing through me and I could feel the magic that had flown through me earlier still feeding off me. Ruby and Liam were following me as I stalked around with a brisk pace. Liam was wincing slightly with every step he took. It was slowing me down. Bastard. Finally unable to take the annoying hisses of his breath, I spun around and confronted him.

"What? Did I hit you with debris or something? What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know. I was fine and all of a sudden I just…"

"You just what?" He winced.

"There, it got worse. I just hurt."

"Where exactly?"

"No, not physically. I'm just, I don't know. Sad? I feel heartbroken. But it's coming on slowly. Like its diluted." I rolled my eyes. He deserved it. After all, he had a part in breaking my heart. "Ahh!" he sank to his knees, as though it had suddenly worsened significantly.

"He's slowing me down. I'm leaving Ruby. I need to figure this out with that rat bastard Gold. You just know he had a part in this. How else would Killian have gotten a bean?" I stormed off (quite literally, electricity was cackling around me like lightening) and into town. Cars seemed to be congregated around the hospital so I made my way there first. I needed to talk to Regina. And Gold. But the asshat could wait. I strode through the front door and nearly ran into Regina.

"Mary Margaret! She's out here!" Regina called out behind her, staring at me. "What the hell have you done, Swan? She asked me, eyeing up the storm I had created around me.

"He left, Regina. Tell me you didn't experience some uncontrollable magic when Daniel died, or when Robin left you for Marian." She nodded curtly.

"You've cursed some people. Why?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"They're all sobbing uncontrollably, saying their hearts have broken." I paused. Hmm. Maybe that's what was happening to Liam.

"Who?"

"Gold, two dwarves, your father, Killian." I flinched at the name.

"Yeah well add Liam to that list." I sighed. "Regina, I need your help. I'm going back. I'm getting him back. I'm not going to let him die."

"Emma, we don't even know if that's possible."

"Then I will make it possible." Something that sounded like a clap of thunder echoed around the hallway. "I will rip apart reality to bring him home Regina, and you can help me or you can get the hell out of my way." She sighed and her lips quirked up into a smile.

"Count me in then, I guess." She led me down the hall to a room. "Let's take a look at your victims. See if we can at least reverse whatever it is that you've done." I surveyed the room, feeling a twinge of guilt.

Although, everyone here should feel at least a bit guilty too. I mean, Mr. Gold? He had a hand in convincing Killian to leave. My father? Had made it perfectly clear he thought I should choose the Lieutenant. Those were the dwarves who had backed my father up on that. And Killian? If he hadn't shown up, _my_ Killian Jones would be here right now. And Liam. He had made it clear to me that he wouldn't change any of this if he could. They were all guilty. They were all at fault. They had helped tear away my true love.

"It's their fault." I murmured.

"What are you talking about Swan?" Regina asked with a smile.

"It's their fault he's gone." I could feel my nostrils flaring in anger. "I'm not going to help you reverse this. They deserve this! This heartbreak, this pain you all feel?" I called out to them, not caring what anyone thought of me. "This is how I feel." I hissed. "And it's your fault. You meddled, you got involved in something that was none of your business. I loved him and he loved me and you bastards tore us apart." The storm around me raged, wind blowing about the room. "This is your fault. Feel what I feel. Understand my pain. And _never_ try to break apart true love again. Do you understand me?" I needed to leave. I needed to be anywhere but here. I couldn't look at them anymore. I shut my eyes and concentrated. I felt the sun on my skin and I blinked. Huh. It worked. I was in a field outside of town. Rows and rows of beans grew around me. I felt something poking my ankle. I knelt down and pulled the offending object off the plant it had stuck itself too.

It was his. It was Killian's. He'd dropped one of his rings. I slipped it over my thumb. I could do this. I could find him. I'd take one of these beans and I could get to him. This ring still held the memory of Killian. I didn't know where he'd gone, not exactly. But I could use this ring to guide me to its owner. I could find him. I could bring him back. I didn't care what it did to this messed up, knot of our time line here. Because I would tear apart heaven and earth to bring him back. I loved him. And I needed him.

Now.

**Soooo….this is a bit rough but I needed to get the update out to you patient people! I hope you enjoyed it – please review! I can't wait to hear what you all think about it!**

**xoxo - E**


	18. A Jump Back

**Regina**

Sure. I train and practice for years in order to enact a curse that someone else comes up with. But Swan? Oh no. She's green as a leaf and she just _feels_ strongly enough that she sends her own personal brand of pain to anyone she holds responsible for it. A full blown, multi-person, focused, multi-dimensional curse. On her first try. Sometimes I wondered if this girl was for real but then I remembered all that true love drivel her parents made me watch and I remember that levels of disgustingly annoying this high _were_ indeed possible. It was a damn good thing I wasn't evil anymore or this Princess would have another thing coming in regards to competition. She had talent, but I had skill. (And, of course, I was kind of an evil genius back in my day – not to brag or anything.) Of course just because I was turned light side didn't mean Darth Vader was on his own. (I really had to stop watching movies with Henry.) _Emma _had just enacted a curse. A damn powerful one at that, but still, a dark curse wherein pain was inflicted most heavily on her subjects. That didn't scream 'white magic' to me. This was bad. Really, really bad. This was, The Savior goes dark, bad. And I was going to have to stop it. I knew better than anyone how losing true love could hurt, but it looked to me, that Emma hadn't just lost her true love, she'd lost her soul mate. Because the idiot had gone off and sacrificed himself. For her. Because he loved her. God they were annoying. I turned to Mary Margaret who was fluttering over David.

"I'm going to go stop her. Or help her. I don't really know which yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Until Emma is happy again she's going to keep going down this dark path. That means all these people keep being cursed. Keep in mind, they're not the only ones in pain. It looks as though she's projected her pain onto them which means everything they're feeling here, is only a reflection of what Emma is feeling." Mary Margaret's eyes widened and she looked to David and the others.

"So Emma is…"

"In a lot of pain. Yes. That's why she enacted this curse."

"Curse…" Mary Margaret breathed out the word, tears welling in her eyes.

"I won't let her go dark, Mary Margaret. I promise." I squeezed her shoulder and nodded before turning on my heel and taking off in the direction Emma's energy flowed from. I was getting better at sensing her magic – even now with the edge of darkness to it, Emma Swan's magic had a very distinct flavor that couldn't be disguised. Of freaking course. The docks.

"Swan! Hold up!" I called out, chasing after her.

"Go away, Regina."

"Swan. You know damn well that of everyone here, I can understand your pain. That of everyone in this town, I get it." She hesitated but only for a moment.

"I'm stealing a ship and sailing to another real in another time." She said bluntly, sizing up the options before her. "If you're on board with that, then you can come. If not, then I suggest going back into town and pretending you never saw me."

"Like hell I'm going back. What am I supposed to tell Henry when he comes back from New York and his mom has gone back in time, screwed something up and get back?"

"What's Neal supposed to tell Henry when he finds out both his moms have gone back in time and screwed something up and now neither of them are coming back?" I snorted.

"Please. I don't screw things up. I'm a genius. And this way I can save your ass and bring you home."

"Whatever you want, Regina. This's your decision and I don't want to hear you complain about whatever I've dragged you into."

"Complain? Me? I'm the Evil Queen not Maleficent." Emma frowned at the prospects before her and I understood completely. Besides Liam and Ponytails' ship, they were all tiny fishing boats, and they were all at least somewhat modern. They were going to stick out like a pole in…well, wherever we were going. "Come on, Swan, are you a sorceress or not? It's called magic. We can use it. We can make any one of these floating embarrassments into the kind of ship that makes the Jolly look like a canoe." She blushed.

"I don't really know how to do that." I sighed.

"Don't know how to transfigure a boat but can curse half a dozen people without even trying. I kind of hate you sometimes, you know?"

She spun around impatiently and glared at me. "Can you do it, or not?"

"Turn around Dumbo." I pointed to my quick work. "Let's fly away, shall we?" As she inexplicably got the boat ready to sail (Hook must have taught her a while ago because this was not a nervous plebe on their first solo outing, she really seemed to know what she was doing here.) she was silent and I got increasingly nervous. "You do have a plan, don't you? We aren't just going to sail about and happen upon a time portal?"

"Killian got back. So can we."

"Dear God tell me that's not your plan. Tell me we aren't just following his trail here, that you have an _actual_ plan." She stalked to my side and opened her fist. Inside were beans. Magic beans. A shit ton of magic beans. Where the hell were all these people just coming up with magic beans from?! This was absurd. This was…were those beans changing color?!

"Magic beans feed by water that runs under Storybrook's clock tower."

"No water runs under Storybrook's clock tower. There's a library and a secret vault under there. That's where-"

"Your annoying Dragon friend lived. For like 30 years. Without water – oh wait. No. There was a whole freaking stream that ran through that vault. Then it drains out the East side of town. Right to where my parents and the dwarves are growing magic beans."

"Your parents and the dwarves are growing magic beans?!"

"Big picture Regina. That clock tower is magic. It controlled time in this realm, and the one we all came from. It made these beans far more than magic. It made them time sensitive. This is how Killian went back and one of them is going to take us back. Then we'll split up the rest, find Killian and bring him home. If we get split up, we'll both have plenty of beans, we can get back here. To Henry." I nodded. Thank the Lord. She did have a plan. A real, actual, planning for the worse possible scenario, kind of plan.

"Okay. Well, we'll look into the magic clock tower and the field of beans you've come up with when we get back then."

"Works for me."

"Stop stalling. Get this damn boat out of here. Emma threw a bean out ahead of us and closed her eyes, twisting a ring on her finger a few times. I recognized it. It was Hooks. It was a dark silver, old but unaged, just like he was. It had a ruby the size of a cherry laid in the top and a few various jewels on the sides. He wore it all the time. It was part of him. He wouldn't fade without that thing. Well there was hope in that, at least. He was going to be just fine until we got to him. Of course then he would be reunited with his ring and he could start properly fading away. And then we were screwed to all hell.

**Killian – The Piratey Edition**

Why wasn't anything happening yet? Surely I should be fading away by now whatever the bloody hell that meant? A tiny voice in the back of my head suggested that maybe I wasn't fading because Swan was holding onto me. That centuries later in a completely different realm, with a better version of me, she was still thinking of me, wishing I was there, loving me. NO. It didn't matter. No matter how pleasant a tale the taunting voice spun, I was doing this for her. I was going to hurt her, worse than anyone else ever had and I couldn't do that to her. I couldn't be one of the men who broke her heart, I refused to cause her pain. So she would have to forget I ever existed. And when she did, I would just stop.

I was going down without a fight but it was by choice, not weakness. Just like it was by choice that I had donned this robe inexplicably found on my ship, one I had never seen before and that no one here could explain, one that now covered my face so I could sneak aboard my brother's ship and find out who the bastard was who ruined my life. Only one problem. I had been here two nights and the only thing I had seen was _him_. The man I remembered coming, the man who commissioned my brother's vessel to sail off to Neverland. The man who knowingly sent us into danger while believing we were on a mission of mercy and healing. The man who killed my brother. He had left hours ago and Liam was preparing to make sail, bean in hand – regular old magic bean, no time travel for them! – ready to depart the next morning. The crew had gone out for one last night on shore while my brother and the younger, more annoying version of me were sharing stories over what could only be goat's milk with a far reaching smell like that. Ugh. I remembered those days. When drinking alcohol was "bad form". When just about anything I liked to do, was bad form. No women, no whiskey, no witty banter. Just that stupid haircut and stiff, uncomfortable clothes. And Liam.

He had Liam. That annoying little boy didn't have much, but he had Liam. I sighed. He was worth it. My brother would be alive. Emma wouldn't be hurt. Replacing Pirate Killian Jones with his perfect, naïve counterpart was worth it because Emma wouldn't be hurt and Liam would be alive. But they were about to go to sleep! And I knew Liam. He would set sail first thing the next morning, no last minute personnel allowed on for discussion. If the man in the hood didn't get here soon, they would never go forward. They would never tell me what the Seer had told them. I would never go back. Which would mean that Emma would still be hurt, Liam would still die and I would have come back here and separated myself from the love of my life, my soulmate, for nothing. And I'd be stuck here. In this time period. Liam would be dead. I'd never see Emma again. Worse still, Emma would experience a pain like no other at my hand. And time would be caught in a never ending loop of confusion. I didn't know exactly what the consequences were of that, but I could assume they were severe.

Where the bloody hell was the man in the hood?!


End file.
